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Job Chapter 22 {Chapters 22-31: The Third Debate} {Chapters 22-24: Third Debate with Eliphaz} 1-2~~Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2~~ "Can a man be 'of benefit'/profitable to God/'El? Can even a wise man benefit Him? {Note: Eliphaz thinks of believers in terms of their benefiting God, instead of God benefiting man. Eliphaz apparently was a great theologian when it came to doctrine, but confused when it came to application because of his own superimposition of this erroneous philosophical concept.} 3~~What pleasure would it give the Almighty, if you were righteous?   {RBT says, in other words, Eliphaz is saying to Job 'IF you were   righteous, THEN you would benefit God'.} What would He {God} gain if your ways/life were blameless?   {implying that Job had sinned and is under punitive suffering for his   secret sin} 4~~Is it for your piety that He {God} rebukes you (?) {sarcasm} . . . and, brings charges against you? {Eliphaz's Violation of a Direct Mandate from God - Judging} 5~~Is not your wickedness/evil great? Are not your sins endless? {Note: Eliphaz is once again assuming Job is suffering for his secret sins - judging erroneously.} {Verses 6-30: Eliphaz Catches the Zophar Syndrome (picking up   where Zophar left off - speculating the nature of the sins of Job)} 6~~You {Job} demanded security from your brothers for no reason   {Job exercised good business practices - he demanded security   when he loaned money - this is prudent under God's laws for   establishment - NOT a reason for which to be critiqued! And,   besides, Job mostly GAVE money to the needy, not loaning it.}. You stripped men of their clothing and stripped them naked   {meaning Job foreclosed on the security when the people did not   pay. So RBT says this is Eliphaz looking in the mirror and imposing   on Job what he has been doing}. 7~~You gave no water to the weary to drink. You withheld food from the hungry. {Note: Later we will see Job was magnificent when people were in need, so this is also a lie.} 8-9~~Though you were a powerful man . . . owning land . . . an honored man living on it . . .9~~ you sent widows away empty handed . . . you broke the strength of orphans {all terrible lies}. 10~~That is why snares are all round you . . . why sudden peril terrifies you. 11~~Why is it so dark that you {Job} can not see? And why is a flood of water covering you? 12-14~~Is not God/'Elowahh in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the height of the stars? 13~~ Yet you {Job} say, "what does God/'El know? Does He judge through 'such darkness'/'the dark cloud'? 14~~ Thick clouds veil Him so he does not see us . . . as He goes/walks about in the vaulted heaven.   {speaking for Job, Eliphaz is saying Job thinks God has forgotten   him, but Eliphaz is saying God has remembered Job well - and is   punishing him for his sins - another wrong judgment} 15``Have you considered the old way which wicked men have trodden (?) . . . 16`` who were snatched away prematurely . . . whose foundation was overflown with a flood? 17``Who said to God/'El, "Depart/'Get Away' from us {an order}! What can the Almighty do for them? 18``Yet He {God} filled their houses with 'good things'  but the counsel of the wicked is far from me {Eliphaz}. 19-20~~The righteous see it {their ruin} and rejoice.   {Eliphaz is saying HE is righteous and rejoices in the ruin of Job} The innocent mock them saying, 20~~ "Surely our foes are destroyed and the fire devours their wealth." {Verses 21-30: Eliphaz's Superficial Altar Call (in Chapter 11:13 was Zophar's Altar Call)} 21~~Sumit {cakan} to Him {God} and be at peace with Him . . . in this way prosperity will come to you. {Note: Altar calls all tend to attach 'increased prosperity' to 'submit to God'. Prosperity is a 'hook' to land a fish and this is not spirituality. Spirituality is a relationship with God, through the work of His Son on the cross.} 22~~Accept, please/'I pray you' instruction from His mouth and lay up His words/'doctrinal communications' {dabar} in your heart/'right lobe'. {Note: God is not talking. God is not talking to Job until Satan's 'cross-examination' is over.} 23-25~~If you {Job} return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove wickedness far from your tent . . . 24~~ and if you assign your nuggets/gold to the dust . . . your gold of Ophir . . . to the rocks in the ravine, 25~~ then, the Almighty will be your gold . . . the choicest silver for you. {Note: In other words, now Eliphaz is saying Job must have some money hidden away and if would only give it all away, then God would bless him again and take care of him! This is a sucker pitch usually. This is a requirement that God has placed on very few.} 26~~Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty . . . and will lift up your face to God/'Elowahh. 27~~You {Job} will pray to Him, and He will hear you. And you will fulfill your vows. {Note: RBT says later we will see this will be important to Eliphaz! He hopes Job will pray to God - on behalf of Eliphaz and his other two so called friends!} 28~~What you decide on will be done. And a light shall shine on your ways. {Note: Nebulous 'glory' type phrases. What do they really mean? His altar call continues with its generalities.} 29~~When men are brought low and you say, "Lift them up." . . . then He will save the downcast person. 30~~He will deliver even one who is not innocent . . . who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands." {Note: In the next Chapter, Job will respond and will silence Eliphaz also. Eliphaz has nothing more to say.}